When it comes to school rivalries, Edmontonians are likely to think of MacEwan University and University of Alberta. Granted, a fair portion of the derision is meant in jest, and a significant amount probably comes from fresh-faced kids straight out of high school.

Where does the rivalry come from, though? Some might say perceived academic quality; others could point to career opportunities after finishing university. However, on some days — specifically Friday afternoons, after a long day of classes — these criteria are tertiary to another consideration: which school has the best pubs. The people need to know about the perks offered by each university pub, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to deprive them of that information. With this mission in mind, I went out with a few friends to U of A’s Room at the Top (RATT) and MacEwan’s Towers on Fourth. We weighted the two pubs based on the following attributes: quality of food, affordability of food and drinks, types of drinks available, entertainment offered in regards to pub games and musical acts, hospitality and friendliness of servers, and the general atmosphere. According to these factors, we gave the pubs an overall numerical rating from one to five.

The first pub we visited on our adventure was Towers. We stopped there at around 5 p.m. on the Friday that kicked off reading week, so the atmosphere inside was as loud and rowdy as could be expected at such a time. While my friend and I attempted to converse, it was difficult to hear what one another was saying over the noise. By the end of our stop by Towers, we both sounded more than a little hoarse.

The first thing we did was order some beers, which cost us about $7 per pint. Plenty of pubs out there offer cheaper drink prices, but they weren’t too ludicrous. The food we ordered was fine for what it was, but not exceptional. As to the service, the server helping us was very helpful in providing suggestions for food and drink choices, though I should mention that she’s actually a friend of mine. Even so, as she moved around bussing tables and chatting with other patrons, she was obviously friendly and capable, as were the other servers and bartenders.

Strangely, after the food was ordered, it wasn’t brought out to us. This was a pretty understandable situation, given how incredibly busy it was around that time, but I don’t recall being told I had to wait by the bar in order to pick up the food I’d ordered. Eventually, my friend who was working informed me that I should do so.

There were some solid drinks on the menu, at least when it came to beer. Tap choices included Rickard’s Red, Shock Top, Steam Whistle, and a few others that I didn’t recognize. The bar is fully stocked, and there are daily drink specials as well. Tuesdays, for example, are wine and cheese nights, and the bar offers plenty of beers and ciders for a steal on Friday nights.

In terms of entertainment that night, a DJ was performing the entire time we were there, although my friend mentioned that the style of dance and party music that the guy was playing seemed a little unfitting for the vibe and space of Towers. It’s not a huge pub, and there wasn’t a dance floor visible, so he didn’t know why they wouldn’t choose to play something a little more low-key. The DJ only plays on Fridays, though, and the music is more alternative otherwise. For more active entertainment, the pub also features two pool tables near the entrance.